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* BOSTON COMPUTER SOcCIBTY *
x Hewsletter of the BoSTUG (Sinclair/Timex User Group) x
x Vol 8 No 1 ; *

RE AD AL A ee A EO ED EE ED EE OR DE OE EE EE DD OO OD OO OD

EDITOR'S HOTES
As reported in these pages our
user group membership stabilized
at about 160 during 1988.

The current newsletter will go to

162 members throughout North
America and to one that just
joined from Singapore. Does any

other Sinclair group have members
in Singapore?

A special welcome, then, to K. G.
Goddard.

The bi-monthly user group meeting
at U Mass Boston has been
sparsely attended. Indeed, the
only person to show in February
was a non-member who then
proceeded to vent about our lack
of support for the TS/1000 users.

This is of course a matter
discusssed in past issues rather
to the point of nausea.

The QL-Group met in January at
John Mitchell's in Westwood. The

lowlight of the meeting was the
failure of Feter Hale's QL in the

midst of the demonstrations.
Friends will be pleased to know
that the QL has been ressurected.

However, before everything blew
up several software titles were
demonstrated including EMSoft's
TRUST_FUND and a first pass at
Sherm Waterman's Recipe database
program.

The final matter of concern is
that this is the last issue that
I will be editing. The pressure
of writing virtually the whole
issue is more than I can take.

I can reconsider if I get some
help. And help does not mean
just saying what you want to see
in the newsletter.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

Real help is writing the article
and putting it on media that I
can load in directly to a QL.

Other computers are not
compatible, so 2063 and TS/1000

stuff is OK on Paper or send it
by modem.

The Sinclair/Timex WHewsletter is
the official publication of the
Sinclair/Timex User Group of the
Boston Computer Society (BoSTUG).

Annual membership for New England
residents is $35.00 ‘otherwise

$28.00) per year. Subscription

to BCS/Update and one other news-

letter is included without cost. ’

The newsletter has an exchange

policy with Sinclair/Timex User

groups willing to reciprocate. ‘
Please forward exchange issues to

Jayce Blaho, O71 Fellsway,

Medford, MA 02155.

Unless copywritten by the author,
articles are in the public dom-
ain. Attribution is requested.

MEETING HOTES

There will be no April or May
meetings of the BoSTuUG. The
April general meeting has been
canceled and the May QL Sub-group
meeting will be in Washington, DC
at the CATS CapitolFest the
weekend of May 5 to 7, 1989,

If you wish to attend the CATS

CapitolFest, see the promotional
material elsewhere in this
newsletter.

For shared rides, please call

Peter Hale, 889-0830.

- 1- January/February 1989

DIRECTORY

Peter Hale
(617) 889-0830
John Kemeny
(508) 692-0886
General Questions John Kemeny
{508) 692-0886
John Kemeny
(503) 692-0886
Software Librarian Jim Rodlin
(508) 481-2155
Al Boehm

(617) 275-1097
Peter Hale
(617) 889-0830
Peter Hale
(617) 889-0830
Flexi-BBS (617) 648-7651
Sysop: Bob Cutter 646-4425
THE TIMEWARP BBS(508) 481-0555
Sysop: Jim Rodlin 481-2155
Newsletter Liason Joyce Blaho
(617) 391-7131

Co-director

Machine Language

SuperBASIC Guru

Editor (pro tem»

QL sub-Group

The TABLE of CORTERTS
last page of this issue.

is on the

BBS REPORT

For the past six months Timewarp
has been on-gain,off-gain with
hardware problems relating to the
upgrade ta 1200 baud.

There may be one of two teething
problems still remaining, but you

can access the board at 4 times
the former speed, a real boon if
the call is long distance.

300 baud will still work, but if
your modem and terminal software
will handle 1200 baud so can the

bulletin board.
ECS Timewarp is at 1-508-481-0555

BOSTUG Sinclair/Timex Hewsletter

AMSTRAD TAKES HUMBLING TURE FOR
ALAN SUGAR

1989, The Wall

reported that
the company that
manufactures the Amstrad line of
computers and owns, but has
refused to license, the rights toa
the QDOS operating system, had a
stunning 16% plunge in pre-tax
proifts.

On February 15,
Street Journal
Amstrad FPLC,

While some of the loss was
reasonably attributed to supply
and technical problems and the
world shortage of memory chips,
the Journal's article suggested

that part of the problem was Alan
Sugars's propensity for risk
taking. The unspoken conclusion
was risk big, lose big.

If you are thinking of maving to
an Amstrad, check out where the
parts will come from if Alan has
been reading the Leading Edge
Corporate manual.

VERY RECOMMENDED READING
Remember when you were younger,
but not so young that you didn't
need to have an excuse toa read
Playboy?

How did that excuse go? "I only
get it for the articles and the
fiction.” (Of course, any
giancing at the photographs was
purely unintentional and only
necessary to find out where the
article was continued.)

Now you can tell you wife/mother/
girl friend that you need to buy
the April issue to drool over a
picture, specifically the one on

page 172.

What you are looking for is
arguably the best picture yet of
the sexy, black Z88. You need to

buy the magazine to find out
where to reach Cambridge North
America (‘or so you can tell your
wife/mother/sweetheart.?

- 2 - January/February 1989

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
from John Mitchell

The last QL Report from Curry
painted a bleak picture of the
L's future. It was a resignation
and abandonment of support of the
faw users that continue to rely
on outside supporters.

There seems to be only one
source of expertise anent the QL
in the Northeast and that is Tom
Bent in Maryland, which I think
is above the Mason Dixon line,
making him a Northeasterner.

Now the former pillar of support
for the QL, Curry Computer, is
undermining the foundations of
the admittedly small QL Users
Groups with blandishments about
another English built ~ = IBK
Compatible computer.

their latest
to seduce
abandon their slowly upgraded
systems comparing the price of
an integrated combination of
computers and peripherals of the
make they are selling with what
the tnfertor upgraded system
originally cost.

Curry, in
attempts

letter,
QLers to

And all one would get would be an
IBM clone which is liable to be
obsolete with the imminence of
the OS/’2 operating system.

Although I thought that the
Z2X/Timex models were the MOST, I
should have been forewarned by
Timex's defection to expect the
same from Sinclair or any
successor with respect to the QL.

However, I was hooked, but one of

the smartest things I ever did
was to buy an American computer
in addition to the QL. By 60
doing I can make comparisons.

My experience with the English
built QL has shown me that:

1. OQverseas support of the hard-
ware dealer is almost non-
existant 1f parts had to comply

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Hewsletter

with F.C.C. regulations and/or
parts were deficient in what they
were supposed to do. A wait of
six months or more for a

replacement part from Britain is
not unusual. ‘I was fortunate in
having another computer.)

2. To obtain British made
components that coanform to US
regulations, one must cannibalize
a spare computer or wait the long
period for the replacement part
from the manufacturer, after the
order passes through ae multi-
plicity of dealers who sometimes
lose the details of the problem.

3. Likewise, the same complaint
applies to peripheral equipment.

A disk drive I bought failed to
function properly and it was
necessary to have an operations

controller customized, which took
eight months to accomplish.

4. A similar thing happened with
a plug-in emulator ROM which
would not operate when received.
It was sent back with explicit
agescriptions and examples of the
problems. After beaucooup
telephone tracing which went as
far as one of the Germanys, I
finally received, a year later, a
replacement that only emulates
European machine formats and tis
useless to me.

The Psion software, with which my
use of U.S. products allows me to
make comparisons, shows definite
inferiority to products produced
here as long ago as 1982 and that
are quite infertor to their own
more recent replacements.

Furthermore, British English tis
aifficult to understand here,
because of the foreign words and
their syntax. Also the examples
are unclear and leave much to be
desired. If they used American
interpreters, maybe their
instructions would be more lucid
and even the British users would
have less to complain about.

1 have TOOLKIT Il and there are
lots of things that I could do

Ses = January/February 1989

with it, if I could understand

how to use tt. I have come to
the conclusion that it is one of

the sophisticated programs that
you go to school to learn haw to
use. But then I am an old dog -
and you Know what they say about
old dogs.

AS you can see, I am prejudiced
but with reason. If I have toa
buy another system, I only want
the computer and keyboard so that
I can use the perfectly good
peripherals that I have now and I
don't plan to buy a system that
will depend on overseas support.
There are plenty of systems
avallable here that are or will
be compatible with "Big Blue's.

Editor's note: John's letter is a

fair comment on the frustration
that many owners of Sinclair
products have expressed less

politely over the years.

In fairness let us consider that
Sinclair's great contributions to
the computer age and to us are:

1) the products always delivered
more than the competition ‘at the
time) at a lower price, and

=) the
offered greater
microprocessor than

computers have always
access to. the
any of the

competition.

Such computers are not for
everyone.

When low price is a hallmark of

the computer, something has to
give. Wo Sinclair owner would
pay $495.00 for software, however
good. But if you pay $495.00 for
IBM software you buy 800 numbers
and exhaustive manuals.

If you think Sinclair software
manuals are obtuse, wait until
you begin exploring IBM manuals.

Finally, why do you suppose that
the IBM user group is so large?
They have their problems, too,

and aS a user group we exist to

help each other.

EQUIVALENCY TABLES

The following
Group disk. Earl Rogers,
was the original contributer.
helpful as we did.

was found by John Mitchell on

a Kaypro User

president of Precision Monolithics
We hope

that you find it as

10.2% Microphones = 1 megaphone

10\2 Fins = 1 terrapin

1O0°\2® Boulevards = 1 Fico Boulevard *

192. Piccolas = 1 Gigalo

10 Rations = 1 Decaration

10 Millipedes = 1 Centipede

10 Centipedes/second = 1 Velocopede

3 ‘7g Tridents = 1 Decadent

106 Bicycles = 2 Megacycles

102 Micrometers = 1 Kilometer = 200 Pentameters
10 Monolgues = 1 Decalogue

2x103 Millenaries = 4 Seminaries = 1 Binary **
£10°s = 1 Millicent

1 Millihelen = Amount of beauty to launch 1 ship
Footnotes:

ft It helps if you have been to Laos Angeles.
tt The enlightenment generated by a seminary is measured in

luminaries.

BoStTuG Stnclair/Timex Newsletter

- 4- January/February 1989

DRIVING A MONITOR
From the TS 1000 ky Mark Fisher

rr ; : ; ] arefully drill the 1/4" hole for the jack, and
Criginolly printed in the Rpril, Int CATS I l rang 97 PCR Gee GR ae
R “golden oldie” fron the ait sghiphnent shar is assembly outside the case, and install it, being
being reprinted in response to a question fron .
last month's “Ask Ranny Shou’ .--Editor careful not to leave any solder where it shouldn't.
be. Carve the case ¢o fit the new Jack, insert the
chips, and enjoy!
The T/S 1000 was designed to produce useable
results on a standard TV. Its display was limited

to 32 character lines, partly to ensure that the 2N222
letters were still legible. They are larger, but Modulator
if you spend a lot of time in front of the set, , 2

the blurriness of the standard TV screen can be
wearing. The fault lies in the circuits of the
reciever. A standard TV is designed to create a
pleasing image from 6 feet - while at 18 inches,
the features are. often blurred. ~

A monitor, on the other hand, has been %
designed to produce a crisp image up close.
Unfortunately, the average monitor requires a
Cifferent signal than a standard TV, and the 1000
does not offer a suitatie output. Like many other
things with this machine, this can be changed’
The correct signal is present, but is too weak te
drive a monitor. The mod involves making three
solder connections within the machine, to add a
one transistor amplifer for the signal.

The Mod... ¢,

Materials required are: hele, pinggs
| case to clear)

2N222 Transister (Radio Shack sells these, but
theirs are of variable quality. A Motorola ~~
version will have a higher gain and a crisper
output than the average Radio Shack
specimen.)

33, 1/4 watt resistor

1086 9, 1/4 watt resistor

IN914 glass diode. Don’t werry about the precise
part number - all those little fellers are
about the same.

A pane] mount RCA Jack (ex. Radio Shack 274-346)

The circuit can be put almost anywhere. There
is room to ‘it it inside the modulator without
affecting its operation, thus leaving an INdINe
uncluttered machine, & the option of either TV or :
monitor output. It involves drilling holes very : too.
near to some resistors in the modulator, but I
think that the results are worth it.

To install the circuit, first remove the ULA = . :
and 18@ chips, and store them in aluminum foil (to otter Ang Schematic
protect against static electricity). Next,

CATS 9 AUGUST

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter --5 —- January/February 1989

ABOTHER LETTER TO THE EDITOR

from Charles Chrestien

1 came by my Timex Sinclair 1000
gear last summer at a flea market
and I have since added a small TV
for a screen. I am trying toa
figure out, when 1 get the time,
how to cable the stuff together.

Other hardware that I would like
to see is a floppy disk outboard
drive, 2) programs on FROM chips
instead of tape, 3> Modem, 4> Ram
Disk memory and/or EFROM plug-in
cartridge for saving work, 5) an
80 column printer driver on a
separate port so that either
printer could be used 6) a power
cord or supply so the unit could
be operated from a car battery.

Being a total neophyte to the
Timex and the writing of programs

in general, I find that most of
what I read in computer news-
letters lessons in some unknown

tongue, cemented together with an
occassional English word or two.
I had hoped that mention would be

made of help or other assistance
avallable to such as I, but it
seems assumed that new members

are aS expert as the "old guard".

see I am one that feels that
systems should be
transparent. So that like a car,
once one finds the key hole all
other operations are avatlable.

You
Operating

7326 San Jule Ct. #C
Sunnyvale, CA 94086

Editor’s reply: Charles’ letter
included more than can reasonably
be replied to here. Clearly it
is difficult to provide copious
assistance across a continent to
a newcomer to Sinclair computing.
But let's try.

Out of the box the TS/’1000 has 2K

of Ram. Memory expansion in 16K
increments tis available, but
there are limits to how much
user-friendliness can be pro-

grammed in 2 kK.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

want to do is
possible with the exception of
Plug-in PROMs and EPROMsS (as on
the 288). {That technology is

unique to the 233.) Ram disking

is not very satisfactory, since

every byte allocated to RAM disk
1s lost to memory otherwise, and

it is lost when powering down.

All of what you

At least three different floppy

disk controllers that address
Shugart compatible drives are
around, although I don't know of

any still in production. Also

the Byte Back 300 baud modem is
been available, but again you

must hunt for them.

Virtually all accessories that
attach to the port come with thru
ports. Thus the interface to
attach an 80 column printer has a
thru-port to hold the TS/2040
printer interface.

A plug-in-to-the-lighter variable
voltage adapter from Radio Shack
will make you mobile.

this

Several articles in news-—

letter list sources of software.
The BCS does not have a PD
software library for the Timex

Sinclair 1000.

We recommend that you subscribe
to Time Designs Magazine for help

and ads of retail products. The
May/June, 1938, issue lists

virtually all user groups in
North America ($3.00) and their

commitment to FD software. Write
Tim Woods, 29722 Hult Rd.,
Colton, OR 87017. Computer
Shopper has TS stuff, too.

Also contact Bill Miller, 6675

Clifford Dr, Cupertino, CA 95014.
(408) 253-3175 for introductions
to user groups in the Bay Area.

not a
There

Be warned. The TS’1000 is
Mackintosh or even an IBM.

are limitations and the keyboard
is only one of them. But the
instruction manual that comes

with the computer will teach you
far more about working a computer
than any other single source.

= 6; — January/February 1989

ARCHIVE CHARACTER CODES
by Peter Hale

Faw who use Fsion's Archive
realize that it redefines many of
the codes in the character set.

The following Archive control
codes differ from those used in
SuperPASIC. Some do unexpected
things; some do ordinary things
in different ways.

Dec Archive SBasic Error
Code Key press Key Fress Code
O CRTL & CTRL &

LO CL? CTRL A 92
2 UP ARROW CTRL B 92
3 DOWN ARROW CTRL C 92
4 RIGHT ARROW CTRL D 92
5 LEFT ARROW CTRL E

6 “UP ARROW CTRL F

6 ALT“LT ARR CTRL F

? “DOWN ARROW CTRL G 92
7 ALT-RGT ARR CTRL G 92
8 “RGHT ARROW CTRL H

G& “LEFT ARROW CTRL I 92
9 “LEFT ARROW TAB 92
10 SHFT UP ARR CTRL J

10 SHFT UP ARR’ ENTER

11 SHFT DN ARR CTRL K

= SHFT RT ARR CTRL L

13 SHFT LT ARR CTRL M

14 “SHFT RT AR CTRL
15-°SHET- LT AR CTRL-O

16 ALT RGT ARR CTRL P 92
17-ALT LEFT ARR: CTRL Q 92
13 Fil CTRL R 9
19 Fe CTRL S
20 F3 CTRL T 92
21 F4 CTRL U 92
22eFo CTRL V 92
23 SHIFT Fl CTRL W 92
24 SHIFT Fe CTRL X 92
25 SHIFT FS CTRL Y 92
26 SHIFT F4 CTRL Z
2? ESC ESC 92
27 CTRL SHFT I “SHIFT 1 92
28 SHIFT TAB “SHIFT -x

29 TAB or “I "SHIFT 3 92
30 ENTER or “J “SHIFT €

31 SHIFT F5 “SHIFT ESC 92
Error code 92 in Archive ites
‘missing 1/0 parameter’. It is
returned when you try to print

the chr to the screen.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Hewsletter

Character cades
and 30 may
than one keypress.

Character 5 (left arrow) under-
lines the print statement that
follows until there is another

chr) or a line feed. Similarly,
chr (26) inverts the current
paper/ ink combination. It ts
terminated by another chr(26) or
& new paper or ink selection.
Chr) is equivalent to ! in
SuperBASIC it generates an
extra space; chr(8), Back Space,
sends the next printed character
to overwrite the last printed
character; chr«10) ts like \ in
SuperBASIC, Line Feed; chr(i2) is
Form Feed; and chr<13> is still
Carriage Return. I didn’t figure
out the others.

These character codes can be
implemented in Archive programs
by including them in print
statements. For example:
print chr©);"HI'';chr 5); HI"
underlines only the first "HI".
The following procedure demon-
strates the effect of different
codes in the ARCHIVE character
set.
proc test_caode

let n=1

while n<3ae

print tab njn;chr(n);’* HELLO”

let n=n+1

endwhile
Fach time you get an error 92,

edit the procedure to let n equal
the next greater number than the
value at which the error message
was reported so you can continue.
ta this

You may also want

procedure:

try

prac test_key
let n=code (getkey ©?
print n
test_key

Fress a key combination to verify
the table above. You will find

January/February 1989

(and sometimes F2) will
return 31, which should be SHIFT
F5. This is because both Fi and
F2 include the cade for SHIFT F5.

that Fl

This procedure is recursive, it
will continue to call itself
indefinitely. Get out by holding

the «ESC? key.

Try printing characters 22 to
235 (to the screen). Modify the

procedure test_code above to let
n=225 and have the while loop
terminate at 235 or above. There

are some interesting symbols na:
one has told you about.

Knowledge of these undocumented
codes can make ARCHIVE programs
much more interesting than you

once thought.

HOTES FROM A TRAVELLER

Our friend recently returned from
Minneapolis where he renewed ties
with an old friend of his.

Friend's friend works at Cray and
had helped develop what is said
to be the world’s fastest super
computer, the Cray model Y-MPF.

After securing the visitor's
badge, they wandered around the
work benches and what not toa
friend's friend's lair.

There was a pile of circuits
arranged like a Dagwood sandwich.
It looked suspiciously like a
dozen QL motherboards in a rack.

Indead, reported friend, it was

what it appeared to be. Friend's

friend revealed that in the early

days of work on the model Y-MP it
waS necessary to emulate some
parallel processing concepts.

To do it, a dozen Sinclair QL's
were networked with
hardware peripherals. Swears
friend's friend, the mini-Cray
was baptised the Cray model Z-2B.

BoSTuG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

some custom -

CATS CAPITOLFEST

On the following two pages we are
reproducing part of the promo-
tional material advertising the
CATS CapitolFest to be held in
the Washington D.C. area on the

Weekend of May 6 and 7.

This will be the premiere 1989
Sinclair Fest and the first one
held within easy distance for us
in several years. It is sponsor-
ed by one of the oldest and most
active Sinclair User Groups in
North America, the Capitol Area
Timex Sinclair User Group.

Talks, swaps flea markets, new
and old software. This is a time
to rekindle your enthusiasm, take
the family to Washington or just
have a great weekend.

A contingent from Boston will
attend and share rides to arrive
in time for the Banquet ($16.50)

on Friday, May 5.

be at the Howard
Johnsons in New Carrollton, MND.
It's just off Exit cOB on 1-95
and 1/4 mtle from the New Carrol-
ton Amtrak/Metro station (free
bus from the Hotel). (A $5.00
Visitor Metro pass is good for
four people all day, everywhere.)

The Fest will

Rooms are $62.00 a night (not per
person) and the first fifty to
register, get a free pass to the
Fest (one per room).

There is a dedicated bulletin
board at (301)? 588-0579 with all
the latest information or you can
contact Audrey Curnutt at (301)
439-8756 for voice information
and telephone registration.

To register for a room contact
either call Audrey direct or the
Howard Johnsons itself at <301)
459-6700. Do not use HoaJo'’s toll

free number. They will tell you
the hotel is booked solid.

For local information and ta
reserve ride space contact Feter
Hale at (617) 889-0830,

Sip ° Salad January/February 1989

THE BIGGEST T/S PARTY OF THE DECADE
This is a Show For The

ZX 80 & Ace ZX 81 T/S 1000
PC 8300 TS 1500 TS 2068
QL Z 88 “£897

Psion Organizer * Sinclair PC * Amstrad

Projected Program:

CATS Car vrot Fest
PO Box 74

Priday ; Garrett Park, MD
Program Registration Contact: Audrey Curnutt
Hotel Registration (301) 439-8756
Limited seating banquet
1 e e :
Saturday: We're doing it differently
: 8:60 AM Set Up tables > April 16 refunds will be back
9:66 Swap Shop Intake > Biggest mailing ever -— scheduled
9:68 - 6:68 Open Floor and spaced
16:69 - 6:60 Speakers > Easy Access - by car, train or
19:66 - 8:08 Videos plane (3 international airports)
7:69 PM - 19:68 Round > Easy 24 hour dedicated
Table Discussion information BBS line (391-688-9679)
7:66 PM --> Hospitality Suite > A hotel with major computer show
experience
Sunday: > Supported by a solvent, stable

User's Group

9:66 - 3:66 Open Ploor > Money held in a dedicated account
19:69 - 12:66 Speakers
16:69 - 12:66 Videos of

Saturday's Presentations

3:69 — 6:66 Wrapup/Cleanup COME ABOARD !
WE NEED YOUR HELP

> TALK IT UP; in your flyers and > Include show promos in your
catalogs. : Advertising.
> Think about "Show Specials" > Tell us soon so we can tailor
you'll want to offer. running of the show to fit the number of
vendors.

If you can't make it, you can help sponsor our final promotional flyers and/or the Show Program
BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter - 9 - January/February 1989

THE STRANGE ONE
by Charles Musselman
This little quicky for the QL plots an interesting design.

SO s=cE-2: n=50: CLS

190 REMark this experiment does black window
110 OPEN #5,scr_350x200a130x00: PAPER#5, 0
120 CLS&S ;

130 SCALE#S, 4,-2, i fe
150 CIRCLE#5,-1.9,.2,5B-2;1.8,.2,5E-2;1.8,3.9,5B-2;-1.9,3.9,5E-2
<00 FOR c=.2 TO 2 STEP
£210 x=-.5: FOR t=1 TO ni x=c-(xkx): NEXT 1

e220 FOR i=1 TO 100: x=c-xkx: POINT#5, x,2*c: NEXT i
240 NEXT c

250 END FOR 1

260 :

270 DEFine PROCedure sav

280 DELETE mdvl_strangel: SAVE mdvl_strangel

£90 END DEFine sav

Send to:

CATS CapitolFest
PO Box 24
Garrett Park MD 29896

ee ee ee oe Se eee
ci 11) | eee eee eR ee eee ep
aa ein ne
ae ene

I'm Interested in:

Number Cost Total
@ $25.00 Tables (Includes 2 Vendor's passes)
@ $62.90 Preregistration (First 58 rooms
reserved will get FREE passes to the FEST)
@ $16.50 Reserved seats for the banquet
@ $19.66 Ad in Promo Flyer
@ $19.60 Ad in Program
@ $ 5.60 MetroRail Tourist Passes
Total Check enclosed:==============

BOSTUG Sitnclair/Timex Newsletter - 10 — January/February 1989

QLAND_LORD

A Review By Roy Arsenault

_VERSION REVIEWED: V. 1.0
REQUIREMENTS: 256K RAM and Archive V. 2.% or later

SOFTWARE PUBLISHER: EMSOFT DIV., ESTATE MANAGEMENT SERVICES,
P.O. Box 8763, Boston, MA 02114-8763, (617) 889-0830

OVERALL. PERFORMANCE: Excellent

DOCUMENTATION: Very good

ERROR HANDLING: Very good

EASE OF USE: Excellent

SUPFORT: Very good (phone support 9AM-6PM Eastern)

PRICE: $19.95 5 1/4 Disk or $21.95 Micro Cartridge

IT obtained a copy of QLAND_LORD because of my interest in
Financial and Data Base software. 'QLAND_ LORD as the name
implies is designed to aid in the management of real estate.
It provides complete detailed record keeping for all
financial transactions, prints rent receipts, provides
quarterly reporting and prepares the data required for IRS
Schedule E tax reporting. A future release will provide for
check printing.

The software is easy to use and menu driven. T had to refer
to the manual only once during my initial usage. Some other
features are:

* Manages up to 99 units ina single file.

* Records can be ordered by unit, date, or type of
transaction.

* Security and Key deposits are maintained seperately from
cash flow.

* Procedures for opening and closing the books for varying
reporting periods are supported.

* The program code is unprotected for easy editing and
enhancing.

QLAND_LORD represents an excellent value and is at least two
cuts above the boring blue world.

BOSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter - 11 - January/February 1989

MULTI-TASKING MS—DOS

A hardy breed, Sinclair QL owners long ago learned to weather
the pitying stares of friends, colleagues, computer sales
clerks and other assorted ignoramt.

“Sinclair, Oh, didn't he die?” "I heard he built a new computer
but it didn’t work." "Why, don't you get a computer that can
use real software?" "QDOS? I don't know anything about it.”

Frotestations of multi-tasking ability and speed aside, most QL
owners retreat to quiet corners and munch on stale popcorn in
any gathering of IBM/clone users. Then they go home witha
certain feeling of loneliness.

Now you can be the first kid on the block to really give it to
those nerds that are messing around tin MS-DOS land - and for
only $149.95 plus sth.

Imagine telling those nerds that for only $149.95 you can now
multi-task MS-DOS software and for $80.00 more sport MS-DOS 4.0
which hasn’t even been advertised yet by Microsoft.

Digital Frecision has released the SOLUTION, an MS-DOS emulator
that runs on the QL. Whether this is a step up or a step down,
I leave to you to decide.

SOLUTION is a software emulator of IBM FC and MS-DOS in 100%
machine code. It supports full CGA-standard Multi-color
graphics and text emulation AND IS INHERENTLY MULTI-TASKING!!!

BIOS is rewritten in unbelievably efficient, highly linearised,
optimal 68000 code. Speed is very much greater than one would
expect and approaches that of a compiler (not an interpreter)
and clearly outperforms the Atari ST emulator. At 1 MHz clock
it is more than adequate for anything other than interactive
games (and what games on a FC are worth anything anyway?)

The SOLUTION auto-boots. That's all there is to it! Devices
are user configurable. Two IBM character sets are available.
You can read/write/format PC/MS-DOS disks and even transfer
files from QDOS to MS-DOS and vice versa.

Not only can you multi-task MS-DOS, you can have both MS-DOS
and QDOS at the same time. Imagine moving between D-Base and
Quill or playing Blocklands while working on a Lotus 123
spreadsheet.

With the Trumpcard, a massive 667K is available to MS-DOS.
This is more than is available on a maximally expanded IBM.
With a 512K expansion 420K is available.)

The only limitation is software that makes hardware specific
calls (a no-no in any case and pretty much restricted to game
software) or requires lockboxes for protection.

The nerds will turn green with envy. And want to get their
Own. They will have tao buy an expanded QL with disc drives.
You only have to contact Mark at Sharps, Box 326,
Mechanicsville, VA 23111 (804) 730-9697.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter - 12 —- January/February 1989

STOP ME IF YQU'VE HEARD THIS
BEFORE...

by Ed Kingsley

I'd like to formally thank our
Editor for his countless contri-
butions to this organization and
it's newsletter and acknowledge
his subtle proddings tor more
articles.

All of us who regularly use a QL
almost certainly have a personal
insight or have uncovered a
‘trick' or two which we could
pass on, but assume that "if we
know it", it must be common
knowledge.

So. with Peter's permission, I'd
like to inaugurate this column to
try and encourage you to share
your tips with the rest of us who
quite probably “don’t know it”.
I'll begin with three of my own.

1) I experienced pertodic key-
board lock-ups and ‘White Display
Screens' for several weeks after
setting up my RGB Monitor until I
found and resoldered a loose
coaxial ground connection inside
the metal shell at the monitor
end of the RGB cable.

2) If you haven't got TOOLKIT II
{you should!) the quickest way to
EDIT a Superbasic Line ts to type
in a number - lower than the one
you wish to edit, but higher than
the preceeding Line - and press
the Down Arrow Key, 1.e., suppose
your program is numbered by 10's
and you want to EDIT Line 40.
Now, instead of typing the usual
E DIT 4 O <ENTER>, (for 7 key
presses), you type in a number
between 31 and 39 and press the
Down Arrow Key (for only 3 key
presses).

You can also use a higher number
and the Up Arrow Key as well.

In either case never use an
existing Line Number because the
Up and Down Arrow Keys wtll
behave like the <ENTER> Key and
delete the line.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Hewsletter

Once you have a Line in the EDIT
Window, it can be safely returned
to the Listing with an Up or Down

Arrow Key. However, tt will not
simply be re-entered, but wtil
instead be ‘exchanged’ for the

next higher (or lower) Line which
may itself then be EDITed or
‘scrolled along’ in the same way.

<ENTERDing the EDITed Line will
end this exchange procedure.

This will also work with TK-II in
ED Mode and may occasionally be
faster than scrolling to the
bottom of a screen.

3) If you have TOOLKIT II, you

might like to add the following
to your list of ALTKEY's. Gee
Peter Hale's tutorial in the
Sep/Oct '88 Newsletter.)

100 LET d$=Dates

200 ALTKEY 'd', d&$G to 9) &

a$(10 to 12) & ', ' &
a$ {1 to 4) & CHRS(196) &
CHR$ (196) & CHRS(192)

..Note that the comma between the
single quotes is followed by a
space. Run this.

If you have previously set the
internal clock, you can press ALT
and d together and you will print
the Current Date (in the form Apr
23, 1989”) at the cursor position

{in the Psion FPrograms). The
cursor wtll be positioned at the
end of the abbreviated month for

you to complete the spelling.

If you're not using ALTKEY's yet,
give them a try. They're a big
part of what the joy of computing
is supposed to be all about.

I hope that I'm right and one of
these tips is new to you and
helpful. if not, how about send-

ing some of yours to Peter and
teach me something?

Editor’s note: Thank you Ed. I

learned the full potential of the

ALTKEY date setting routine by
incorporating the Shift Left and
Left cursor codes to make it
easier to spell the month.

- 13 - January/February 1989

SUPFORT FOR THE TS 1000
ARD THE TS 2068

by Al Boehm

The March issue of the Computer
Shopper, the last source of
monthly support for Sinclair
computers, reported several

strategies for continuing support
of our computers.

In his column Michael O'Brien
reported two very positive moves
afoot and mention of a good BBS.

The first is that Bill Ferrebee
of Lemke Software has begun
lobbying Alan Sugar of Amstrad.

As we all should know, Alan gota
whole batch of stuff when he
bought Sinclair Research from Sir
Clive several years ago, and it
included the Spectrum computer.

Lots of new software is being
produced for the Spectrum, but
since Curry had to stop importing
it, there are no distributers in

North America.

Alan has a bdig marketing and
support outfit for Amstrad here.

Why not use it for Spectrum stuff
too?

Bill suggests getting up
petitions from your user group
asking for Spectrum software to
be distributed in North America.

Also write a brief note directly
to Alan Sugar.

MORE OH SUPPORT

There has been considerable gratuitaus bitching in
group about the lack of support

justified,

about the ZX-81 & TS/1000 and I

for many members.
but frankly, I have forgotten almost all I ever knew
never used a TS/20638 and those

Then send all those letters and
petitions to Bill Ferrebee at
Mountaineer Software, 749 Hill
Street #6, Parkersburg, WV 26104.
He will forward it all en masse

to the appropriate parties.

Also in the same article was
mention that the O.E.C. BBS has a
number of software titles for
Timex that you can down load with
your modem. The number is (614)
423-7879. Select the files area
and specifically the () section
of software libraries. There is
an excellent range of TS software
including:

TSPD1.BAS Sound Effects
TSPD6.BAS Assembler
TSPD7.BAS Disassembler
TSPD8.BAS Copycat

TSPD11.BAS Phone Directory
TSPD13.BAS Headscan

The BBS is 24 hours 300/1200 Baud
7/1/E or 8/1/N.

Another source for free (or near

free) Timex software for the
TS/1000, TS/1500 and TS/2068 is
the Sinclair Public Domain

Library run by Tim Ward and his
assistant Tony Williing.

The library currently has five 60
minute tapes for the TS/1000.
There is a nominal fee of $4.00
per tape, and contributions in
excess are gratefully accepted.
A TS2068 tape is coming out soon.

Tim is at 5142-D Ginko Drive SV,
Tacoma, WA 98439 (206) 584-0339.

by Feter Hale

this user
Some is

that know something have rarely contributed themselves.

I apologize to those that feel
minute to express my gratitude
Mitchell, John Mitchell, Mike
Kingsley.
easier.

the ways you have reached out to me.

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

left out, but I
to Jim Rodlin, Al
Padlipski,

Each of you have in various
I have learned from you and been moved in many ways by

want to take a
Boehm, Mike
Ernie Wider and Ed
ways made my task a lot

Thank you all.

- 14 - January/February 1989

Ser vet) «Gi.

Sinclair Northamerica Users Group
Port Richey, Florida 34668

= ee

This is a short update to let all of you know what has
happened since last you heard From from us. Since our last Press
Release we have received fifty eight individual memberships, and
an additional fifteen memberships from Users Groups €. which
represents approximateiy twenty seven per cent of the known
users groups in the North American continent ). We have also
received memberships from Australia and Great Britain. We would
be extreamly pleased, if we could establish groups to expand to
outside the continent!

So what have we been doing all this time ? Plenty!! Firstly,
we drafted 6 charter’ that was designed tc a!low for most
provisions -tnctuding: expansion. This was a very time consuming
task. The Charter has been sent to the Florida State Secretary
of State and was approved on December ¢c7, 1988. All funds up to
now have been held and were deposited into a checking account on
December 31, 1986.

We have with the help of the Library Committee established
a format to work the Public Domain Software Library. We
currently have set up Librarians for the Following machines and
formats:

Cassette - Frank Davis
A&J Microdrive, Wafadrive - Frank Davis, Andy Hradesky

Aecco - "Phoenix" Pete Fischer

Larcken - To Be Announced
Oliger DOS - Paul Holmgren, Willie Jones, Gary Lessenberry
Portugal Timex, Zebra - To Be Announced

' C/PN - Tim Stoddard

Ramex SPDOS - To Be Announced

Spe

We are currently assessing what programs qualify for Public
Domain and we are gathering programs at this time. We cannot
give an accurate number of programs available, but we have
conservatively estimated to have on hand approximately 850
Spectrum and cO068 programs and e400 2X - 81 and 1000 programs 2s
of January 1, 19869. We have been advised that several Commercial
programs have been released into the Public Domain. Once all the

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter - 15 - January/February 1989

details are atrrainged, an announcement will be made.

We have also been trying to put together a Publication
committee to determine how our Magazine will look and its
contents. Several of our respondents expressed interest in
weiting articles, so we should have several first time writers
with some new applications.

Included is the Official Membership Listing. All members on
the List are Charter Members, and as such are eligible for
becoming officers. All Users Groups that are members need to
select a contact person. That person will act as directed by
their membership to vote accordingly. All Users groups have only
one vote.

We are requesting that the membership respond with the names
of three individuals for each of the offices listed. The
deadline For nominations is February eS, 1989. The responses
will be tabulated and official Ballots will be mailed on
February 27, 1989. The deadline For return of the Ballots is
March eS, 1989. The results of the elections will be announced
on March @7, 1989. For your information, Mary - Lynn Johnson has
remarried, and requested to not be considered for office as she
wishes to spend more time with her new Family. We wish her all
the best in future.

The current officers are:

Mel Nathanson... Acting Chairperson, Pro-tem.
Paul Holmgren... Acting Vice-Chairperson, Pro-tem.
John "JC" Cushran... Acting Treasurer, Pro-Tem

The offices that will voted on consist of:
President
lst Vice-President
end Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer

There is something special about a person willing to take a
chance on an idea that has nothing immediately tangible to be
had for their hard earned money. It takes a person with vision,
courage, and some money that they don’t need right away! Ideas
with as much scope as the one we’re attempting are difficult
enough to pull off without individuals such as the Charter
Members and without your help, I really don’t think this much
could have been accomplished. Be proud - there are not many of
you out there. We thank you.

We hope that this announcement has proved that we have been

working towards the goals outlined. With the increased voluntary
help that we anticipate the organization will thrive and grow.

Nel Nathanson

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter - 16 - January/February 1989

AN IMPROVED LABEL MAKER FOR LARKEN SYSTEM
by G. Chamoers

Writing programs to create labels {is a time
honoured pastime among the computer crowd. But I think

this program offers just a bit more.

It 1s designed to produce labels of the contents of
your Larken system disks. It offers the option of
printing to the 2040 printer or a large printer. It
provides the option of sorting the files alphabetic-
ally. It also provides the option of printing the
program names in one, two or three columns.

Although the program makes use of the Hacksel
printer software "Iprint.Cl", another driver software
could Se used by modifying lines 160 and 350.

The program operates on the basis of reading the
{rectory (Track 0), placing the names in a (d$) array,
then manipulating them as required.

100 REM File Label “Maker vi.l
for the LARKEN system

110 REM Sy G. Chambers

14 Richome Court

Scarborougn, Ont.

CANADA ‘ALK 2Y1

120 KEM Use to make a printout
of disk files
130 RE Data statements contain
Drive Control Code.

140 REM For use with the DSK4&O00

system of 5990 bytes/track
using a CD drive i.e.d0O tracks

150 RANDOMIZE USR 100s OPEN #4,
160 PRINT #48 LOAD “lprint.C1°C
NDE

170 LET c32”

1480 RESTORE VAL *210°

190 FOR n#VAL "63000" TO VAL "6
3047"

200 READ as POKE n,a

210 NEXT n

220 DATA 195,43,246,0,0,0,0,0,0
»243,205,98,0,201,58

230 DATA 100,0,251,201,205, 33,2
46,58,175,92, 50,29, 32,205,126
240 DATA 0,205,123,0, 33,112, 32,
17,156,224,1,0,20,237,176

250 DATA 195, 38,246

260 DIM d$(90,11)

270 LET trac=VAL "23728": LET l
oadbuf2VAL "63000"

280 LET name=VAL *57688°

290 BORDER PI/PI: PAPER PI/PI:
CLS

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Hewsletter

300 PRINT AT VAL °2",VAL °6"3 [
NK VAL "2°; PAPER VAL °6"%;" LARK
EN DISK UTILITY *; PAPER PI/PIs
STAB VAL "10%; PAPER VAL “6"1" L
abel=Maker *; PAPER VAL "1°,,TAB

VAL “6%; PAPER VAL "6";" By Ge
orge Chambers ”*

310 INK VAL °3%:s PLOT NOT PI,VA

‘ L "108"%: DRAW NOT PI,VAL "62": D

RAW VAL %255",NOT PIs DRAW NOT P
I, VAL °=62"s DRAW VAL °=2557,NOT
PI

320 INK VAL "6": PLOT VAL “8°,V
AL 7114°%: DRAW NOT PI,VAL 750%:
DRAW VAL °238",NOT PIs DRAW NOT
PI,VAL *=50": DRAW VAL “3238",NO
T PIs INK VAL °7°

330 PRINT ‘‘*****"Install disk ne
eding a label"*® eee then Pres
s a key"'t PAUSE NOT PI

340 POKE 23658,0s PRINT AT 12,0
5 OVER Osc$sc$sAT 14,03 INK 75°L
arge or small printer? (L/S) “s1
PAUSE 0

350 LET nS$*INKEY$e POKE 26703,0
+ POKE 26704,5: IP n$#"1" THEN
POKE 26704,254

360 PRINT AT 14,03 OVER OscS$s P
AUSE 50: PRINT AT 16,0;"Print Nu
mber of columns (1=3) “ss PAUSE
Os LET p2CODE INKEYS$=48

370 PRINT AT 16,0; OVER O;cds P

50
380 INPUT "Sort (Y/N)? “:33
390 INPUT “Enter Disk Title*;n$

400 LPRINT
410 REM Picking pgm names
from buffer(Track 0)
420 POKE trac,NOT PIs RANDOMIZE
USR loadbuf

430 LPRINT “Disk Names “;n$s LP
440 FOR n= PI/PI TO VAL *90°

- 13 -—- JjJanuarv/Februaryvy 1989

Mee ad a ee PI THE
re WAL ocas ET n=VAL "90°: GO
460 IF PEEK (name+PI/PI)=2VAL "2
54" THEN LéT name*name+VAL °34°
t GO TO VAL "490"

470 FOR m2PI/PI TO VAL "9"

480 LET d$(n,m)=CHRS$ PEEK (name

490 NEXT m
$00 LET name=name+VAL 7°24"
510 PRINT AT 11, 11sdS(n)5" ’

520 NEXT N

§30 IF s3a>"y”" THEN GO TO 590
540 PRINT AT 11,113 FLASH 13° S
orting “3; FLASH 0

550 FOR itl TO (es1)s FOR jei T

Oe
560 IF d$(i)>d$(j) THEN GO SUB
580

570 NEXT jt NEXT 1: GO TO 590
580 LET q$=d$(j)s LET d$(j)=a$(
1): LET dS(i)2q3: RETURN

590 PRINT AT 11,115" 5

hs FOR n#1 TO e

10 IF INT (n/p)#(n/p) THEN LP
RINT d3(n, TO 3h; Go’ To 630
620 LPRINT d3(n):3

630 NEXT n

640 LPRINT +: LPRINT ¢ LPRINT
650 DIM f£S$(VAL *9")

660 PRINT AT VAL *20",VYAL °6°;°
Label finished”"**Press a key for
another start”

670 PAUSE NOT PI: GO TO VAL °28

680 STOP

@000 INK Ot PAPER 7: BORDER 7: C
LS « LIST «: STOP
9900 REM ** Save to Disk **®
9910 CLEAR +: PRINT USR 100: SAVE
“label2.Bi" LINE 100
9930 STOP

From
September/October
Newsletter of the
Toronto Sinclair
Timex Users Group
SINC-LINK

BoSTUG Sinclair/Timex Newsletter

TABLE of COSTERTS

page
Editor's Notes 1
Meeting Notes 1
Directory 2
BBS Report 2
Amstrad Humbled 2
Very Recommended Reading 2
Letter to the Editor 3
Equavalency Tables &
Driving a Monitor (TS/1000) 4
Another Letter to the Editor 6
Achive Character Codes 7
Notes From a Traveller 8
CATS CAPITOLFEST 8
The Strange One 10
QLAND_LORD (S'ware Review? 11
Multi-tasking MS-DOS 12
Stop Me If You've Heard .. 13
Support for TS/1000 & 2068 14
More on Support 14
SNUG Update 15-16
Label Maker for Larken 17

SOFTWARE HEWS

Sharp's, a dealer in QL software
and hardware, recently sent out a
new catalogue. Virtually anyone
who ever bought a QL from A+ or
Sinclair received a copy of it.

It is a handsome presentation
with not only all the latest and
best hardware and software for
the QL, but also very good prices
on the Sinclair MS-DOS machine
and the Z-88. It is a source for

Fsion's FC Four, the IBM version

of the Psion suite for the QL.

Sharp's also offers spare parts
for the QL, particularly the 8301
chip, having bought all the rest
of the A+ warehouse last summer.

If you did not get a copy, call
or write Mark Stuber at Sharp's,
Rt 10, Box 459, Mechanicsville,
VA 23111 (804) 730-9697.

~ 18 — January/February 1989

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